Ask Haviv Anything Episode 68: Antizionism is inherently violent, with Adam Louis-Klein
26 snips
Dec 17, 2025 
Adam Louis-Klein, an anthropologist and founder of the Movement Against Antizionism, discusses the complex dynamics of anti-Zionism. He asserts that anti-Zionism is not just criticism of Israel; it's a contemporary form of Jew-hatred with dangerous implications. Adam links it to violence against Jews and the deceptive narratives that mask its true nature. He offers insights on distinguishing legitimate critiques from bigotry, emphasizing the urgent need to recognize and combat anti-Zionism as a source of suffering for both Jews and Palestinians.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Anti-Zionism As A Permission Structure
- Anti-Zionism functions as a permission structure that lets people disavow responsibility for anti-Jewish violence.
- It reframes Jewish victimhood as caused by Israel, neutralizing condemnation and enabling further attacks.
Middle East: Anti‑Zionism Equals Anti‑Semitism
- In the Middle East, anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism are deeply intertwined and often indistinguishable.
- Hatred of Jews there is commonly expressed through civilizational anti-Zionist narratives rather than classical European antisemitic forms.
Western Anti‑Zionism's Soviet Roots
- Western anti-Zionism often descends from Soviet-era rhetoric branding Zionism as racism and Nazism.
- Contemporary leftist anti-Zionism reuses these foundational libels under the language of colonialism and apartheid.